Golf putting practice device



J. BRANDELL GOLF PUTTING PRACTICE DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1950 Im/enmw J'ahn R. randeM W 3, W55 J. R. BRANDELL 2,709,594

GOLF PUTTING PRACTICE DEVICE Filed June 1950 2 $heets-Sheet 2 (Ti) 38 39 4g Fig.7 42 [a n nt Mfl W GOLF PUTTING PRACTICE DEVICE John R. Brandell, Evanston, Ill.

Appiication .lune 9, 1950, Serial No. 167,061

Claims. (Cl. 273-179) The present invention relates in general to games, and has more particular reference to a golf putting practice device.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved putting device accurately simulating conditions prevailing at the hole of a golf course putting green; a further object being to provide a device toward which a golf ball may be directed and while will receive the ball, if the same be directed toward the device with putting accuracy of the degree required to hole the ball on a standard golf course green, and which otherwise will reject the ball.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which, after receiving a golf ball, will return the same substantially to the station or place from whence the ball was directed toward the device; a further object being to provide automatic ball return means adjustable to cause the ball to return through any desired distance within the operating limits of the device.

Another object is to provide a device which will reject a ball directed accurately toward the device at a rate of speed such that the ball would jump across a standard golf course hole.

Another important object is to provide an electrically operated ball return device adapted for operation by connection as in the conventional outlet socket of an electrical energy distribution system of the sort commonly provided for domestic power or lighting purposes; a further object being to utilize a solenoid kicker for ball return purposes in a device of the character mentioned; a still further object being to provide micro switch means, operated by the ball when received in the device, for energizing the kicker.

Another important object is to provide exceedingly simple means for adjusting the ball returning force exerted by the kicker.

Another important object is to provide a putting device including means simulating golf hole conditions, for the reception of a ball, including a return station or cavity into which the ball may gravitate, after being received in the device, to position the ball with respect to a ball return kicker so that the ball may be ejected from the device by operation of the kicker, including switch means for actuating the kicker when the ball has entered the return station; a further object being to form the device with ball retarding means operable to reduce the speed of the ball as it enters the return station.

Another important object is to provide a putting device of the character mentioned comprising a frame formed with a cavity, open on one side and simulating the hole of a golf green, the cavity opening being formed by lateral abutments on the device and spaced so that a golf ball directed at said opening will enter therethrough into the cavity, if directed with the degree of accuracy required to hole the ball in a standard golf hole.

Another object of the invention is to define the cavity by means of upstanding portions of the putting device forming inwardly facing cavity walls, and a cavity botnite States Patent 0 tom wall marked in simulation of a conventional golf hole and extending at the lateral ball receiving opening of the cavity; a further object being to form the surface of the bottom wall as an upwardly inclined plane at said opening, to jump the ball over the device in the event that it be directed toward the device at a speed sufiicient to jump a conventional golf hole; a still further object being to incline said bottom wall, from said lateral opening, downwardly toward the opposite side of the cavity; a still further object being to form the device with a ball receiving socket sized to receive the ball snugly, but without binding, to form a ball return station at said opposite side of the cavity.

Another important object is to form the downardly inclined portions of the bottom wall with ball retarding ribs adapted to check the speed of a ball passing thereover toward the return station, in order that the ball may enter such station at a relatively slow rate of speed.

The foregoing and numerous other important objects, advantages, and inherent functions of the invention will become apparent as the same is more fully understood from the following description, which, taken in connec tion with the accompanying drawings, discloses preferred embodiments of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a putting device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the forward portions of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 are sectional views taken substantially along the lines 3-3, 4--4, 5--5, 7-7 and 8-8 in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 7; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of the device.

To illustrate the invention, the drawings show an automatic ball return putting device comprising a frame 11, which may be made of any suitable material including wood or molded plastic. The frame preferably is of generally triangular shape, having preferably curved side walls 12 which may meet and merge together to form a nose 13 at one end of the frame. At its opposite end the frame is formed with a ball receiving opening 14, communicating laterally with a preferably open top cavity 15 formed in the frame, the frame including a panel por tion 16 forming a bottom wall for the cavity 15, said wall extending at the opening 14 and inwardly thereof.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, the cavity 15 is defined by a preferably semi-cylindrical wall 17 having a diameter preferably equal to that of a conventional golf hole, whereby the lateral opening 14 at its narrowest portion is likewise equal to the diameter of a conventional golf hole. The frame may include outwardly inclined abutment walls 18 defining said opening outwardly of its narrowest portion, said abutment walls forming deflecting wings preferably projecting outwardly of the sides of the cavity 15 a. distance substantially equal to one-half of the diameter of a conventional golf ball.

Accordingly, when a golf ball is directed toward the opening 14 with sufiicient accuracy to drop into a golf hole of standard size, the limit of such accuracy being a so-called rim shot, the deflecting wings formed by the abutment walls 18 will direct the ball through the opening 14 and into the cavity 15. If the ball, however, is directed less accurately, so that it impinges upon either of the corners formed at the forward ends of the abutment walls 18, it will be deflected and will fail to pass into the cavity 15.

As indicated in the modification shown in Fig. 6, the semi-circular walls 17 may be curved on a radius larger than is the case in the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1

rected thereto with at least'cup rimming accuracy, while I risetia les ..a r te ..s t stedba 1Tb? tems .11 qv a l reqe vm so ke -19. w i s an 91 9 111 pav tyylfi. at t e. sid t eof. oppo t f q nj h op n n h so ke 9 is sized tes lv re ei a s d rdscl ball, h'a l-mmdcle nw of the order of 0.02 inch, in order to form a ball, returnn a n- Be d es ketl heft-aw lmay vbe formed with an elongated cavity 20 extending between t e Q1 i. 2 a 1 nos 13 Q the me...

.Th is cavity- 20preferably opens on the bottom of the tameend i a ap ed to e e v a v e tli k c the in, the samec mn isin a. oil .1 a d. a pl ge 1 mally held in retraeted pos'ition with respect to the coil t tm an o spr n Th t am Mi o a p tio wall separating the cayity lti fromthe socket l9, whichwall is 'fo rmed withan opening in axial alinement withfthc plunger 23, The framell also is provided with gayi vlirt e ab v pening -t b t e the -frame, and extending alongside of the socket 19 and .the ca tys fl, .A. miCEOS tQh ss c re ins i a yland. .is electrically connected with the actuating coil 22; ofthe kicker, as by means of preferably insulated electrical con- .duct r rll, wh h ex nd utwar ly of the fr me an terminate in a plug 28, by means ofwhich,theelectrical elements of the device may be connected with any suitable source of actuating power, such as the outlet socket of a domestic power system, The switch 26 has ,an perating finger w,,which maycomprise a preferably light weight, though relatively stiff, length of wirewhich extendstransversely within the socket 1'19, in position to he engaged. and depressed bya golf ball, to close the switch when the ball is in hell returning position in the socket, The switch 26is a normally open switch adapted to be closed upon the depression of tliefinger 29 .by. a golf ball in the socket 19. ,As soon as the switch 26 is thus closed, the sol enoid 22 will be energized to project laballstrikingend of the plunger23 abruptly. into the socket 19. against, the influence of. the spring 24, in position to strike thegqlf ball therein and to project the same outwardly of the device through the cavity 15 and open- .ing ,14..,, t v. M

Simple..yet effective means is provided forladjusting Ithekicker 21in order to. regulate the ball returning force Qthereof. Any suitable .or preferred, means for .accompli shing such adjustment maybe employed,.including the incorporationof an adjustableresistor or reactor in the power-supply conductors27. for adjusting the oper- -.-ating. energy applied to thecoil22 of thekicker upon closureof the switch 26. Asshown, however, the adjustment is preferably accomplished by providing an ad- .justable stop 30 on the frame 11 for limiting the retractive movement of the plunger 23-under. the influence of the spring24. Thi-sstop. 3'Ilrnay comprise the end of a preferably threaded pin 31 having .a manually operable knob 32, the .pin extending in a slot 33 formed in the top ofthe frame 11 and opening into the cavity 2d. The axis of this slot preferably. extends in the. vertical plane .of the axis of the plunger 23, and means, comprising a clamp- .ing collar 34 and a clamping'nut 35, mounted in the slot, is tprovided for releasably securing. thestern 31 in. any. adjustedposition longitudinally of the slot, by tightening ,or loosening the stem in. the clamping nut by operation ofthe. knob 32. By positioning the stem 31 toward the nose 13 .of the frame, the ballreturning force of .the kick er may beincreased, and vice versa. j, If desired an indicating scale 36 may be formed on the frame 11 adjacent the slot 33 for showing the adjusted position of the kicker regulating stem. In order to reduce the weight of the device, the frame l l rnay be formed with cavities 37 between the side walls 12 and the walls defining the eavity 15, thesock et l9,

and the cavity 20, said cavities 37, as well as the cavities -'-"20"and-25g-preferably'opening" on the'bottom side of 'erably parallel with respect to'the 'edge' 38. 'ofsaid demarcation line, the botto'rnwall 16 forms an the frame, which, if desired; may be provided with a closure panel of suitable character, such as a pad of felt, rubber, or other suitable material, glued or otherwise at tached upon the bottom of the device.

The bottom wall 16 may be formed either integrally as a part of the framej'or' may comprise a detachable panel element suitably, secured onthe frame. This bottom wall, however, forms a rigid floor for the'cavity l5 and the socket 19 and extends ati theopening 14, where it forms av thin, forwardly facing edge 33. inwardly of said edgethe bottom wall forms an upwardlyinclined plane 39 at an angle such; thaha golf ball, directed thereon toward the cavity 15 at excessive speed, will be deflected upwardly and caused to jump over the walls 17 defining the cavity 15, whereby to reject the ball from the cavity.

If the ball is directed upon the plane 39 at speed insentient to"jump' 'ov'er the walls '17, but at speed such as would cause it to 'jurnp over'a'conventional' golf'hole, it

willimpinge on the circular walls 17 which will guide it aroundthe'e'avityfi past the socket 1'9 and out through the'entran'c'e opening 14,'thus rejecting the ball. The inclined 'plane' 39 'eittends inwardlyfr'omthe edge 3% and terminates at and" along a'lineof demarcation 4t prefinwardly inclined 'plane 41' extending downwardly from said line 40 t'dwa'rd'the oppositeside of the cavity 15 and into the socket 19. Accordingly, a ball passing upwardly along the plane 39 pa'st t he line 40'will' thereafter gravitate along the surface'41 and-willbe directed'int'o the socket 19, and will'be re'turned'thence outwardly of the device, by

operation of the ki'cker'ZI.

Inorder to prevent false operation or the kicker, it is' de'sirable thafi'the ball should enter the socket 19 from the cavity 15' at a' rate 'of speed sufiiciently slow to prevent the ball 'from'striking and rebounding from the back wall 'of the socket" before theplu'nger of the'kicker has had an opportunity to function. The'ball should be at rest in ball returning position in the'socket 19 at'the instant wheni't is hit by the plunger; if the ball should enter the socket 19 at" a high rate of speed, it may rebound to a' grater or lesser degree upon striking the rear wall of the socket and he'nce'be in motion away from such rear wall, and thereby interfere with the proper ball returning impact thereon 'of'the plunger 23.

"Accordinglyfthe' present 'irtv'ention, by'making the socket19 very slightly larger than the ball, assures that the same, in striking the"walls"17 and then rolling into the socket along the incline 41, will enter the same at slow speed. It is only when the ball is so accurately directed as to enter the socket at speed, without hitting one side orother, or both sides of the socket, that false operation is possible. -The invention also contemplates the provision of a ball retarding rib or ribs 42' on the inclined surface 41 of the bottom wall. One o r m ore ribs n ay thus be provided, 'thesa me being preferably inclined diagonally toward the center line of the cavity ld and socket lS. These ribs will serve to checkthe speed of motion of a ball traveling downwardly on the surface 41, to thereby cause the ball to enter the socket l9 relatively slowly, but the ribs serve also, and more importantly to aid in retaining a ball in the cavity once ithas passed over the bump 46. In this connection, a ball directed into the eavitylo' on one side thereof, may roll around the same on the walls 17 and out through the tendant advantageswill be fullyunderstood from the foregoing description, andit isobviousthat numerous arouses changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein disclosed being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. A golf ball putting target device comprising a frame providing a floor plate and upstanding wall means form ing target chamber having a lateral ball entrance portal at one side of the chamber, said wall means including spaced apart facing wall portions, defining said portal therebetween, and curved wall portions extending between said facing wall portions and enclosing the side of said chamber opposite said portal, said facing and curved wall portions being symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of a medial plane extending diametrally of said chamber, means on said frame forming a pocket for receiving and supporting a golf ball at the side of the chamber opposite from said entrance portal in position centered substantially on said medial plane, said floor plate providing said chamber with a floor inclined downwardly from said portal toward said pocket and upon which a golf ball may gravitate into said pocket, and kicker means on said frame and operable by a golf ball in said pocket to propel the ball from said pocket in the direction of said medial plane diametrically across the chamber and outwardly of the device through the portal medially thereof.

2. A golf ball putting target device comprising a frame providing a floor plate and upstanding wall means forming a target chamber having a lateral ball entrance portal at one side of the chamber, said wall means including spaced apart facing wall portions, defining said portal therebetween, and arcuately curved wall portions extending between said facing wall portions and enclosing the side of said chamber opposite said portal, said facing and curved wall portions being symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of a medial plane extending diametrally of said chamber, means on said frame forming a pocket for receiving and supporting a golf ball at the side of the chamber opposite from said entrance portal in position centered substantially on said medial plane, said floor plate providing said chamber with a floor inclined downwardly from said portal toward said pocket and upon which a golf ball may gravitate into said pocket, means forming a rib on said inclined floor for controlling the rolling action of a ball thereon, and kicker means on said frame and operable by a golf ball in said pocket to propel the ball from said pocket in the direction of said medial plane diametrically across the chamber and outwardly of the device through the portal medially thereof.

3. A golf ball putting target device comprising a frame providing a floor plate and upstanding wall means forming a target chamber having a lateral ball entrance portal at one side of the chamber, said wall means including spaced apart facing wall portions, defining said portal therebetween, and curved wall portions extending between said facing wall portions and enclosing the side of said chamber opposite said portal, said facing and curved wall portions being symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of a medial plane extending diametrally of said chamber, means on said frame forming a pocket for receiving and supporting a golf ball at the side of the chamber opposite from said entrance portal in position centered substantially on said medial plane, said floor plate providing said chamber with a floor inclined downwardly from said portal toward said pocket and upon which a golf ball may gravitate into said pocket, rib means extending generally transversely of said chamber between said portal and said pocket for controlling the rolling action of a ball on the inclined floor, and kicker means on said frame and operable by a golf ball in said pocket to propel the ball from said pocket in the direction of said medial plane diametrically across the chamber and outwardly of the device through the portal medially thereof.

4. A golf ball putting target device comprising a frame providing a floor plate and upstanding wall means forming a target chamber having a lateral ball entrance portal at one side of the chamber, said wall means including spaced apart facing wall portions, defining said portal therebetween, and curved wall portions extending between said facing wall portions and enclosing the side of said chamber opposite said portal, said facing and curved wall portions being symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of a medial plane extending diametrally of said chamber, means on said frame forming a pocket for receiving and supporting a golf ball at the side of the chamber opposite from said entrance portal in position centered substantially on said medial plane, said floor plate providing said chamber with a floor inclined downwardly from said portal toward said pocket and upon which a golf ball may gravitate into said pocket, means forming a pair of ribs on said inclined floorfor controlling the rolling action of a ball thereon, said ribs having adjacent ends spaced apart at the medial portions of the chamber and extending thence respectively outwardly in opposite directions toward the opposite sides of the chamber, and kicker means on said frame and op erable by a golf ball in said pocket to propel the ball from said pocket in the direction of said medial plane diametrically across the chamber and outwardly of the device through the portal medially thereof.

5. A golf ball putting target device comprising a frame providing a floor plate and upstanding wall means forming a target chamber having a lateral ball entrance portal at one side of the chamber, said wall means including spaced apart facing wall portions, defining said portal therebetween, and arcuately curved wall portions extending between said facing wall portions and enclosing the side of said chamber opposite said portal, said facing and curved wall portions being symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of a medial plane extending diametrally of said chamber, means on said frame comprising abutments providing parallel spaced and facing wall surfaces forming a pocket therebetween and sized to snugly yet freely receive a golf ball between said surfaces, said pocket being centered on said medial plane and opening, at one end, upon said target chamber diametrically opposite the middle of said portal, for receiving and supporting a golf ball at the side of the chamber opposite from said entrance portal in position centered substantially on said medial plane, said floor plate providing said chamber with a floor inclined downwardly from said portal toward said pocket and upon which a golf ball may gravitate into said pocket, and kicker means on said frame at the other end of said pocket and operable by a golf ball in said pocket to propel the ball from said pocket in the direction of said medial plane diametrically across the chamber and outwardly of the device through the portal medially thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,182,480 Havens May 9, 1916 1,683,875 Duffy et a1 Sept. 11, 1928 1,689,476 Brumder Oct. 30, 1928 1,903,480 Ryan Apr. 11, 1933 2,070,948 Koehler Feb. 16, 1937 2,308,785 Smith Ian. 19, 1943 2,443,759 Anderson June 22, 1948 2,582,290 Smith, Jr. Jan. 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 938,377 France Apr. 5, 1948 

